Evernote for Blogging

When I started blogging I kept a notebook with me that I would jot down ideas and rough out blog posts when I came up with them. I soon found that keeping my thoughts organized was getting further and further out of control from using this method. Also, I was getting tired of carrying my notebook around with me everywhere. I love my Moleskine notebooks, but what I was using it for was just not cutting it.

Then I started my pursuit for the perfect tool that i could use to keep my post ideas organized and I lessen my need to carry extra items around with me.

I already had a blackberry and wondered if there was an app that would allow me to take notes on it being that I had my phone on me all the time it seemed a very logical replacement for the notebook. So I began searching the Backberry app store for a tool that I could use. I stumbled across an app called Evernote that is an Internet based note taking software. So I immediately went online to check it out. I was immediately amazed at all of the features that it had to offer.
Here is what I Found:

• Captured All Kinds of Information – It allows you to take pictures, clip web pages, and take text  and audio notes that will all be stored in one place.
• Organize All Your Information – It allows you to create notebooks or olders in which you can organize your information.
• Title and Tags – Each notes gets a title and can be tagged with keywords for ease in searching.
• Syncing Between Devices – Evernote has a smartphone apps, desktop software, as well as internet based note-taking. With this you will be able to access your notes from practically anywhere.

This is exactly what I had been looking for. So I created my account and downloaded app for my Blackberry, and when I got my iPad a couple of months ago it was the first app that I downloaded.I currently have the free account set up. There is a premium account that can be purchase for $5/month or $45 a year. The premium account offers larger storage and more features, but I have found that the free account with 2 GB of storage offers me sufficient space for my current needs.

I have set up my my account with various notebooks or folders labeled:

• Ideas – This is the notebook that catches all of the ideas. Most of these notes just have the possible title of a blog and keywords or tags.
• Research – From the Ideas notebook my possible post titles get analyzed further to see if there is any opportunity there. If there is, I will elaborate on the subject and write down some notes and thoughts and drag them and drop them into the Research notebook.
• Posted – After I finished using the note in the Research notebook to develop my post I put them in the Posted folder. I usually clean this folder out once a month.
• Good Stuff – I also have a notebook labeled Good Stuff. This is a notebook that I will clip good articles or videos that could result in post opportunities. I use this folder as my catch all for stuff I clip with the Firefox Evernote Clipper Add-on, which is a very neat little tool.
• WordPress – Another folder I have is one labeled WordPress. The WordPress notebook is a folder that I store snippets of code, Adsense codes, and various information that I have accumulated that I may need when working with WordPress.
• Personal – The last notebook that I have is one labeled Personal. In this folder I keep most of the notes that I will jot down daily. It contains notes on books that I want to read or check up on or websites that friends have told me that I should look into.

So that is how I have found Evernote to be a crucial asset to me blogging process, and a very good tool to keep myself somewhat organized.

Below is a video from the Evernote site showing off some of awesome features. Enjoy!

Has anyone out there came across any other software that has helped them stay organized, and / or aided their blogging process?